Why Samy Vellu is “untouchable” and “unsackable” as Minister

Malaysians are deeply offended by the Works Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s complacency and indifference to first-world standards and mindset when he said leaks in Parliament after RM100 million renovation is “common”.

The nerve of the man, justifying the leaks in Parliament after a RM100 million renovation by talking about mythical leaks in other Parliaments which he knows absolutely nothing about.

And his contempt for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who had spoken until his “throat is dry” about first-world mentality and maintenance culture when his Works Minister is utterly contemptuous of such a “silly notion”!

Public opinion had already been gravely upset by Samy Vellu’s brazen demand for RM22 million to inspect new government buildings in Putrajaya for defects, treating the Malaysian public as suckers and fools who must finally bear the astronomical bill for professional and government negligence resulting in the long list of mishaps of government buildings and public construction projects — while no one else whether contractor, government department such as Public Works Department, or the Works Minister or the relevant Minister concerned, have to bear any responsibility or accountability!

And now Samy Vellu is virtually saying that Malaysians must get used to defects like leaks in Parliament after RM100 million renovation even after the RM22 million inspection and further tens or hundreds of millions of ringgit of consequent repairs!

With such an outrageous and irresponsible attitude, the Prime Minister has more than enough cause to sack Samy Vellu as Works Minister.

However, Samy Vellu is “untouchable” and cannot be sacked, whatever his faults and failings.

This is how former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad explained why Samy Vellu, who first became a Cabinet Minister more than 27 years ago on Oct. 21, 1979, and who served in his Cabinet in his entire 22-year administration, cannot be sacked in a recent exclusive Malaysiakini interview:

Q. We still have people like (works minister and MIC president) S Samy Vellu there. We know of the complaints against him.

A. You ask MIC what they would do if I removed Samy Vellu. MIC is scared stiff of Samy Vellu.

Q. So it’s political repercussion factor then? It’s got nothing to do with…

A. When it comes to the head of a component (Barisan Nasional) party, I don’t have that much liberty to pick who the head should be or to remove the head from being in the cabinet. You can see that all the heads of all the component parties are in the cabinet, not because I chose them, but because they were chosen by their party.

Q. What you’re saying is that you have to appoint them (the leaders of BN component parties) to the cabinet. There’s very little choice. So what does that reflect about our political system today?

A. There is a saying – a country gets the government that it deserves. If you are a member of a party and you are unwilling to say that your leader is wrong, to choose a better leader, then you deserve a bad leader. Whether it is fear of the bad leader, or whatever…

Even if it is a dictator, if they (people in other countries) really want to remove their dictator, they are prepared to stick their necks out. Here, it is not even a case of sticking your neck out. You won’t even stick your little finger out. Everybody is playing safe. If I go against the chief, he’s going to hammer me. Then I won’t get contracts, I won’t be ‘ketua bahagian’ (party division chief).

No wonder Mahathir had called the Abdullah Cabinet a “half-past six” Cabinet. This is what the former premier said in the second part of his recent interview with Malaysiakini:

Q. On the same topic, what do you think of the cabinet today. Are they as vibrant as they were under you?

A. Most of them were appointed by me. Now, it is ‘safety first.’ You have to save yourself. ‘Never mind what happens to the country, never mind what happens to the Malays, never mind what happens to anybody, I must remain a minister. I must remain deputy minister. I must be the ‘ketua bahagian’ (party division chief). I must be the ‘calon’ (candidate) for the next election. What happens to others doesn’t matter. What happens to the country doesn’t matter.’

They argue, ‘If I am not elected, I will not be able to contribute.’ What are you contributing? You are not contributing anything.

Q. Wouldn’t that be the same during your time?

A. No. During my time, if they don’t contribute, they don’t get it (the position). They know me, and they contribute.

If the prime minister wants you to contribute, you will contribute. But if the prime minister doesn’t care, and each one is for himself, and if each one doesn’t please me I’m going to get rid of (him), not because he is not contributing but because he doesn’t please me, then you are going to spend time trying to protect your pants.

When Parliament reconvenes on June 18 for a four-week meeting till 10th July, DAP MPs will insist on two things, viz:

That the RM22 million bill for the inspection of new government buildings in Putrajaya for defects should not be borne by the ordinary taxpayers but must come from the contractors who built the Putrajaya buildings in such an unsatisfactory condition as to require an unheard-off RM22 million inspection expenditure; and

That it is completely unacceptable and against the “first-world mentality” objective of the Abdullah premiership for the Works Minister or any Cabinet Minister to ask Malaysians to get used to sub-standard public works, such as leaks in Parliament after a RM100 million renovation.

I like Samy’s logic: there is dirt, crime, sleaze etc in other countries, so what is wrong with malaysia having dirt, crime and sleaze. Brilliant.
Maybe the PM find it politically unproductive to remove him from the cabinet, but what is wrong with transfering him to another ministry saying that this new ministry is more important and require talent like samy’s.

Given BN structure, I am not so sure its a good idea than BN president, which is UMNO president by default, can remove the head of a component party or even make too many choices in regard of their role within BN. It would further marginalize the community like in Sabah/Sarawak.

Certaintly Samy Vellu need to be held accountable and removed. But the ability must ultimately be in the Indian community first and foremost to protect their interest. At best the Indian community to self-determination should be seconded by Malaysian at large not BN politicians. In this sense, BN and UMNO leadership have failed miserably.

What is needed is a coalition of Malaysian to check Samy Vellu. His job affect Malaysian people everywhere (we all use public building and highways/roads). The PM should force Samy Vellu to answer to the people/Indian community at best not self-determine his fate.

No Malaysian Prime Minister will dare sack Samy Vellu from the cabinet. That is why he is not answerable to anybody and acts like a gangster. He is plain arrogant.
If he is sacked, the entire MIC will go berserk and may even withdraw from the Barisan and that will be tragic for UMNO during general elections in marginal seats.
Indians have a tendency to hero-worship their leader. I remember when MGR passed away, many Indians in Tamil Nadu committed suicide. Do not be surprised if the same things happens here when Samy kicks the bucket.

Cant u see how fast the CONtractors can churn out a rm22mil quotation to FIX the leaks? Hv u seen such capable companies? I can even gv Semi Dummy a quoatation is less than 1 hr. Just make sure you bloat the figure to a safe zone and who cares, the rakayt will pay for it. Semi Dummy, how does RM50mil sound?

the more we read, the highest chance we get hypertension. what kind of country we r in? really dun understand wht the upper side doing? busy eating up the money? this 22mil will be just the beginning, later will claim need another 44mil or 66mil for renovation, the leakage is big.. 22mil is not enough, all kind of shit excuses will come out.

I think that the extra 22mil might come from the original 100mil intended for the renovation. Somewhere, someone miscalculated the budget, and 22mil more is required (thus the total cost of renovation should total up to 122mil). But the someone cannot admit that he had miscalculated the cost of the renovation, or else he will be liable to corruption charges and scrutiny. Or it may be his ego that is unwilling to admit his mistake.

“If the prime minister wants you to contribute, you will contribute. But if the prime minister doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t care, and each one is for himself, and if each one doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t please me IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to get rid of (him), not because he is not contributing but because he doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t please me, then you are going to spend time trying to protect your pants.” TDM
That remark must be a joke!
I think that Malaysians have VERY short memory. This trait of the electorate served him very well and is continuing to serve the incumbent PM!
Remember about the case of the International Trade minister during his tenure as PM?
She was told to check on the price of imported cars and she did not do it in spite of being reminded and he let the matter rests. Does that show that he cared?
If his government was so dynamic, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
In fact, the rot started with HIM!

The reason Abdullah being choosen as deputy to TDM is because he is incapable than the other being eliminate by TDM.

Actually today the winner is still TDM because he knows that a new leader can not replace his sorrow in the parliament. Everyone still talking about TDM, but complaining on ABB. Politic is dirty, TDM play Sun Tzu Art of War really well

What is the point, we only shout here. Why don’t we do something and remove him in Sungai Siput. Lots of Malaysian only shout but when come election still vote BN because as what TDM say everybody is playing safe. As long as we still can ‘cari makan’ and stock market is good, BN also never mind. Just look at Macap and Ijok. Come GE, BN will still get 2/3 majority and we will continue to suffer, this is the mentality of most Malaysian.

You know why Semi Value can’t be sacked ? He is simply the best enforcer and collector that UMNO has had for over 20 years. UMNO tried to experiment with Daim, who was rumoured to have run away with everything entrusted to him, so they had to turn to good trusty ol’ Semi again.

Semi is not only untouchable – he can’t even be moved from the Works Ministry. That’s how entrenched the guy with the toupee is.

In India if Samy Vellu is categorised as an “untouchable’, he would also be known as a “pariah”. But in Malaysia, the meaning of “untouchable” is something else. It could either be, he’s a big time gangster, or he could be a leper, but he is also known as a pariah to most people.

The stark reality of Malaysian politics is that there will always be such people around, whether you like it or not. The problem with these MPs is that they take their positions for granted far too long and at the expense of the rakyat. The only way to make sure they come to their senses and pay more attention to the rakyat’s concern is to at least reduce their majority in the next general election. Better still, put more opposition voices in the parliment.

YB Samyvellu, sir, u still have an opportunity to announce your “quitting from politics” and “giving up MIC Presidency” at the on-going MIC convention. Please do that for the sake of Indians here and save them the embaressment of being associated with you further. Please learn from your ex-pals-Ling Leong Sik and Lim Keng Yek. MIC (leaders and delegates) cannot f
“force” you out because of your terror tactics which have cowed them into being cowards. So please oblige and may be, a BIG may be, GOD might forgive you.

May I know who the heck is our MInister Of transport? Is it that guy who pretended to ride the LRT with his fancy tie?

I have one complaint to make. What are the guys at JPJ doing in regards to motorists using those bright HID lights? Each new day I can see more and more cars fitted with it. It is getting out of control. Same case like the good old days when tinted windows were banned but no one really bothered. And look at today, the situation is out of control and all those in power just closed one eye.

Are they waiting for an accident to happen before they take any action? Just tonite I had 3 cars trailing me with those idiotic HID lights and a few onciming cars blinding my vision. DAMN THOSE FOOLS! Yea i mean u JPJ and those relevant authorities!

Just look at what JKR has become over the years when Semi Value is at the helm. Incompetent, corrupt, inefficient and the list goes on. My testimony is base on years of actual experience dealing with those lazy fellows in JKR who is treating the department like their retirement home.

Now everyone know who is the most powerful man in Malaysia even Mahathir and Abdullah dare not to remove him. In fact Samy can do anything he likes as he is the king of indians in Malaysia. In this case, he is helping UMNO with its dirty laundry which cost billions. What do the rest of the Indians get in between? Washing Samy’s dirty laundry for him. It is unique and that is Malaysian Indians for you. Its a bit like the movie, the ending can be very bizzare… Who knows Samy might become the PM of Malaysia?

The Tigers has a tremendous influence on the Indian gansters in Malaysia. They think it is the right thing to do and they will get the support from them if they got into trouble.

I have heard from a major supermarket operator in KL, where Indian gangs had looted goods without paying. Nobody dares to report them to the police for fear of retribution. One of the gang’s favourite items is Marmite, and that is why it no longer stocked on the shelves. You have to ask for it at the service counter. Malaysia is fast turning into a cowboy country!

RM 22 mil = USD 6.5 mil – let look at it, it is a cheap price to inspect all the Govt building. Afterall, dear old Sammy is trying to bring us into 1st world standard – of pricing. Can’t do anything about the PWD 3rd world standards, so start charging 1st world prices. Those tax payer funded trips to the USofA is really paying off now that they know how much 1st world countries charged, so, call bank negara, asked for the conversion factor and charge RM22 mil…….easy isn’t it?

Other parliaments do have leaks….such as the ones in Sierra Leone, Iraq, Somalia, Zambia, Burundi…..

The RM22 million is only to conduct checks. Then we will see an even bigger sum being needed for remedial works. Thats how it works. And to make it look intelligent, pick a big sum, so people think there’s lots to be done.

How they could have come up with that sum in such a short period of time eludes me.

The way to help the PM is to vote out these people as MP’s. Then Pm can have the option of telling them that the rakyat has chosen. And he can let them concentrate on strengthening their own parties. Get their houses in order. And let the PM chose the most capable candidates to cabinet posts.

But better still would be to vote out this entire group of con artists and replace them with PKR/DAP/PAS coalition.

for someone like samy vellu to say that its normal to hv problems after spending hundreds of millions on a project…hmm…i tink he takes us malaysians as suckers.i wonder if he has any leakages in one of his homes and wat wud he do abt it…wud he just keep a cool head or jump and fumed till he drop his toupee.i am sure he wudnt use cheap stuff building his own private home.as a minister of such…these type of excuses and telling us that other countries’ parliaments hv the same problems but we dun hear them reporting it in the news.hes really a cocksucker.hes just an inefficient minister who wud seek any excuses for these cover ups.i thought we are in the era of zero defects…thats wat the government is encouraging in our industry.and wat is he talking now?we dun spent hundreds of millions to build sumthing and then taking the defects to compare with other countries…another brainless moron in the cabinet.

Samy vellu is not the real problem, AAB is. The projects are given to you know who companies. They subcontract them all the way down, in most cases, and reducing the amount of payment needed for the work to be carried out. So, the persons who get the work done would only do what they have agreed to, which might not meet the minimum requirements, but are accepted by the upstream contractors. The probability of failure is high.

AAB said that he had talked a lot of this, but the problems remained. The trouble was he talked about the wrong thing, and the latest was there must be inspection.

Samy vellu took the word inspection as a new project, as anybody would. MIC president would not dare to ask UMNO-linked contractors, and demand that they repair what need to be done. That would mean that the commissions or contributions to UMNO of the projects might have to be refunded. Obviously MIC president is no fool; he is just following the trend of spending money from national coffers without a care about its worth, and maybe out of the 22 million, there might be leftovers for his cronies. He too must have cronies, after having been in the Cabinet he would have acquired some skills from his boss and the lesser bosses in UMNO.

AAB has just followed TDM examples of how to run the government, except he could not stay awake when needed to be.

TDM pretends to respect the choice of the component parties for their presidents as Cabinet ministers. That serves him well, since none of these presidents dared to interfere in the work of other ministries, and certainly not those under the PM. And they are put in charge only of ‘service’ ministries of no real consequence.

Samy Vellu, as commented here and elsewhere, were found to be more trustworthy than Daim, who was said to have converted UMNO assets to be his own. Samy Vellu knows how to award contract based on the wishes of the powers-that-be, and he has done a good job, for himself if only he was neither a MIC chief nor a Malaysian. If Malays who think that they own this land does not care if Bolehland goes to the dogs, Samy would care much less.

SV have proved to be the best bet for UMNO and BN to get fundings and ‘side’ incomes all along. He have received a special “immunity letter” from ‘ABOVE’ to conduct his roles.
No point to get angry with him at anytime. He is not going to pay for all his “doings”. His next of kins are the receiving end. As soon as he ‘kick the bucket’, no one will ever remember him in time and the ‘blessings’ that him been keeping will ‘expire’. We will have another chapter about his next of kins and all the ‘fallen’ angels stories by then.
So, please don’t waste time on SV, these will only make him live longer. Don’t even pay a single seconds to talk about him in our daily routines and he will soon “pass on”. That’s the rule of the game that he have seek from “ABOVE”. It’s only through attention that he will live another day, without any of these, he’s doomed.

No other MPs can ever beat his records. And there will be no one else ever to be found in Malaysia. All those ‘younger’ players are doing it for their own ‘pockets’. SV have learnt well from TDM that these ‘wealth’ needed to be shared accordingly. That’s why every cases, the cost is mountaining. It’s because the total amount added up by all related BN coalition ended up that figure.

The moment that we leave him ‘alone’ (no more attention), he will soon be gone. It’s by then that he will kick the bucket. Everyday, he wakes up with enough hope to ‘look’ for attentions. It’s like breakfast coffee to him. And the more we talk about him, the better he can react. Don’t bother about him and he will be ‘lost’

He knew that he cannot ‘hold on’ to his empire for that long. His next of kin also are not as ‘strong’ as him. That’s why he never a happy man when it comes to family matters. He knew that his next of kin will find it hard to survive when he’s gone.

The forces are not only among the politicians level, we have those ‘royal’ connected groups that mainlt running the shows here.
It’s easier for us to shared comments and ideas. However, it’s they ‘the chosen ones’ that rules here in Malaysia.

I think it might be more accurate to say : Through Samy Vellu a RM 600 mil highway project has been given to AAB relatives. Obviously like he said, he is an office boy, and office boy does not have the authority to decide who gets the project.

Sammy is already losing his mind..MIC prepare yourself for a new MIC leader. There is so much insanity a man can take…and when one start to act like the world revolves on himself, its time someone stop him from spinning..let me rest and die like a man instead remembered as a lunatic.

With the recent heat waves, many older people will have to risk their life to weather through.
We can make “telur setengah masak” by putting them into our cars for half and hour without water .. ha ha ha ..
AAB almost got his call last week. Now, we just need to see who is next…

Yes the most powerful person in Malaysia is Samy Vellu no doubt about it.

Like AAB said don’t rock the boat coz we are on a same boat which he refer to all the thugs, untouchable and mafias of BN.
AAB will choose to CLOSED ONE EYE.

Samy said 22mil… 22mil la, not AAB money what. Goverment can always have a petrol hike or can be another toll hike if they what the people to pay. After all, is the people who use and pay for toll what, all MP don’t have to… they are the goverment servant- all petrol, milage and toll will be covered by the taxpayer money what.

In another words, WE ARE THE ONE WHO FEED THESE THUGS. Yes, all the hard work day after day, part of the earning will go to them.

And for those who are on the highest level, will definately don’t need the taxpayer money anymore. Because they can make a living on their own little businesses like Submarine, Jets, Toll, Logging, Highways…

So what are the people going to do about it?

Talk Is Cheap.
We have pay them enough with our earnings. Pay them no more.

Cut the story short, with this kind of Semi Value Minister on board, if the PM cannot SACK him, can’t the PM transfer him to other dept which is less important so that the whole nation wouldn’t suffer because of the ‘good’ work of ONE MAN. If PM cannot or will not do anything then the honourable PM should step down for the sake of his country men and women and children!

YB Tun just shot himself on the feet by saying: “No. During my time, if they donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t contribute, they donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t get it (the position). They know me, and they contribute.” Well, isnt Semi Value left over junk since his time. We fellow Malaysians certainly got plenty of JUNKS to be cleared if we want the NATION to progress further.

By the way YB Tun / YB AAB, many Malaysians are of the opinion that there are hidden agendas behind for Semi Value to survive till to-date. YBs have been defending Semi Value all these while. Many see Semi Value as a mere postman that got all the blames, who are the cronies and beneficials behind may we asked? We will like to know. Is Daim still around?

Just wonder LDP toll belongs to which party or ministers? Don’t tell me again Daim is hiding behind the scene. Pity Puchong residents, you guys really treated like suckers. Don’t care whether you are Puchong or PJ folks, Subang Jaya or Cheras folks, let’s all rise up and fight the cronies! This is idiotic gomen is getting too much!

SV is a shrewd politician. He’s only a gangster to all the people including Minister of BN component parties except UMNO. When talking to politician especially those with immense power in UMNO, SV is damm polite. He’s not a god politician. His only interest is to consolidate his position in politics. Whatever happens to the Government or the Indian community, he care less. The Indian community should have guts and stand up against this dictator. AAB please do a favour for the Malaysian citizen. Sack SV. Remember what President Ford did to USA. To save USA he pardon President Nixon knowing fully that Americans will not in favour of and it will jeopardise his running if the US President for the second term. Malaysian politician should follow the footstep of President Ford. Don’t just thing of your position and your bank a/c. Our generation to come will curse and curse all of you.